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holland flag MILITARY SECURITY IN OCCUPIED GERMANY (1918-1929)

English flag THE SMAO: MILITARY TYPE IN OCCUPIED GERMANY (1918-1929)

french flag SMAO: MILITARY SECURITY IN OCCUPIED GERMANY (1918-1929)
Where Military Security, active during the period 1914-1918, will be abolished at the end of September 1919, becomes an end 1918 installed a new military security service for the Belgian Occupation Army in Germany: of ‘Military Security of the Occupation Army’ (SMAO). Although the Military Security of the 1914-1918 period was officially dissolved at the end of September 1919, a new military agency was established in late 1918 near the Belgian forces of occupation in Germany (in Rhineland and the Ruhr): the SMAO. If military security is active in 1914-1918 is officially deleted at the end of September 1919, a new military security service is installed at the end 1918 near the Belgian occupying army in Germany (in the Rhineland and Ruhr) : SMAO (Military Security of the Occupation Army).
This time the roles are reversed: the Belgian army finds itself in the role of the occupier and has to face the resistance of the Germans, who consider this occupation illegal. In this tense climate, the SMAO's mission is:, responsible for the security of the army, vital. That time, the situation had reversed: the Belgian army was the occupier and had to face the resistance of hostile Germans who deemed the occupation illegitimate. In this tense context, the SMAO’s mission, which consisted in ensuring the security of the army, was of the utmost importance. This time, the situation is reversed : the Belgian army finds itself in the position of the occupier and must face resistance from Germans hostile to an occupation perceived as illegitimate. In this tense climate, the mission of the SMAO, responsible for army security, is very important.
The tasks are multiple and heterogeneous. The service must devote itself to counterintelligence, gathering political intelligence such as monitoring public opinion, and monitoring communist and nationalist movements. On the other hand, the SMAO must act as a service for maintaining public order and as a judicial police. The SMAO was entrusted with a wide range of tasks. It had to conduct counter-intelligence and political intelligence missions (assessing the state of mind of the population, monitoring communist and nationalist movements, etc.), and act as a peacekeeping force and judiciary police. Its tasks are multiple and heterogeneous. It must engage in both counter-espionage and political intelligence (control of the state of mind of the populations, surveillance of communist movements, nationalists, etc.) and officer as a law enforcement and judicial police force.
The experiences of World War I make most of the SMAO's agents German haters. There are constant frictions with the local population. And because they speak bad German, they are at the mercy of informants. Still affected by the First World War, most SMAO agents shared an anti-German sentiment. The context regularly generated frictions between them and the local population. Since they spoke German poorly, they had to count on informants. Marked by the experience of the First War, SMAO agents are mostly Germanophobic. They experience repeated friction with the local population. Speaking German poorly, they must rely on indicators.

holland flag The GRAFF case

Op 21 March 1923, following an identity check that got out of hand, the agent of the SMAO Schmitz kills a 'Schutzpolizist' in Hamborn, near Duisburg,. Schmitz did not act in lawful self-defense. In retaliation, the Germans killed Belgian lieutenant Graff two days later, whom they mistakenly mistake for Schmitz. This case shocks Belgian opinion.

English flag The Graff case

In March 1921, during an identity check, SMAO Agent Schmitz killed, without being in self-defence, a German agent of the Schupo in Duisburg. Two days later, Germans retaliated by killing the Belgian Lieutenant Graff, whom they thought was actually Schmitz. The murder of Graff caused a scandal in Belgium. Since it casted doubts on the German justice system, Belgium undertook its own judicial investigation.

french flag The Graff affair

A March 1921, during an identity check, SMAO agent Schmitz kills, without being in a state of self-defense, a German agent of the Schutzpolizei in Duisburg.
As retaliation, Germans kill Belgian lieutenant Graff two days later, mistaken for Schmitz. Graff's assassination causes scandal in Belgian public opinion. Distrustful of German justice, the Belgians are simultaneously carrying out their own judicial investigation.

The history of the SMAO is peppered with attacks and scandals. For example, the service is criticized for its role in the aftermath of the attack on the railway bridge in Hochfeld (30 June 1923), whereby 11 Belgian soldiers die. In addition, he is questioned when certain of his agents support the Rhenish separatists, leading to the Aachen putsch during the night of 20 op 21 October 1923. The history of the SMAO was punctuated by scandals and attacks. Some agents supported the Rhineland separatism that led to the coup of October 1923. The agency was also criticised for its inefficiency after the Hochfeld attack (30th June 1923), in which 11 Belgian soldiers died. The history of the SMAO is punctuated by scandals and attacks. Some agents support Rhineland separatism which will lead to the October putsch 1923. It is also criticized for its ineffectiveness following the Hochfeld train attack (30 june 1923) which will cost the lives of 11 Belgian soldiers.
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